Bardolino
Eastern shore
Wine cellars, olive groves and the easiest lakefront stroll on the eastern shore
Lake Garda weather · September
Lake Garda Weather in September
September keeps summer going at Lake Garda: 25 °C days, a lake near 21 °C, thinner crowds and the start of the grape harvest.
Ask people who know the lake well for their favourite month and many will say September. This page explains what makes it so good, and the one way it is worse than June.
Is September a good time to visit Lake Garda?
Yes. It is one of the best months of the year. Days average 25.2 °C, nights 14.2 °C, and the lake holds on to its summer heat at close to 21 °C, warmer than in June.
The summer ferry timetable runs all month, everything is open and the August crowds have gone home. The trade-off is rain: September is one of the wettest months by volume (about 85 mm), though that falls on only six days or so. We rate it 5 out of 5.
What's open in September
- Open Ferries — Summer timetable all month (it ended on 4 October in 2026).
- Open Gardaland — Main season, with Magic Halloween theming from 12 September in 2026.
- Open Monte Baldo cable car — Summer season. Hours shorten as autumn approaches, so check the last descent.
- Limited Lidos and beach clubs — Beaches are public all year. Staffed lidos and beach bars are seasonal businesses with no shared calendar. Most stay open in the first half; some wind down later in the month.
- Open Campsites — All open, with far more space than in August.
Events in September
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Centomiglia
The lake’s famous long-distance sailing regatta, run by Circolo Vela Gargnano from Bogliaco. The 2026 race was the 76th edition.
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Gardaland Magic Halloween
The park’s autumn season, with themed shows, decorations and scare zones.
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Tener-a-mente: Equinozio
The September run of concerts at the Vittoriale amphitheatre.
What to pack
- Summer clothes and swimwear
- A jumper or light jacket for evenings
- A rain jacket: when it rains in September, it pours
- Walking shoes
- Sun cream, still
Where to base yourself in September
Bardolino and Lazise are in the middle of the vineyards as the harvest starts. Gargnano hosts the Centomiglia at the start of the month, and Salò has a long lakefront that is at its best in the softer light.
Bardolino
Gargnano
Western shore
Lemon houses, a tiny harbour and grand villas on the quietest stretch of the western shore
Lazise
Eastern shore
Medieval walls, a working harbour and thermal pools, ten minutes from Gardaland
Salò
Western shore
The longest lakefront on Garda, a proper old town and the best shopping on the western shore
What September feels like
The first half is summer with the edge taken off: beach weather by day, comfortable at night. From about the middle of the month the mornings turn fresher and the light gets lower and clearer.
The rain needs explaining. September’s total is high, but spread over only about six days, which means a few heavy downpours and a lot of dry weather between them. A wet day now tends to be properly wet, so have an indoor plan in reserve.
What to do
Swim. The water is warmer than it was in June and the beaches have room again. Then walk: the Monte Baldo cable car and the paths in our walks guide are far more comfortable at 25 °C than at 30 °C.
It is also the start of the wine season. The Bardolino hills behind Bardolino and Lazise are busy with the harvest; see our best Lake Garda vineyards for cellars to visit.
Good to know
Is September a good time to visit Lake Garda?
Yes, one of the best. Average highs of 25.2 °C, a lake near 21 °C, the summer ferry timetable still running and noticeably fewer people than in August.
Can you swim in Lake Garda in September?
Yes. The north-shore readings we use show 20.7 °C, which is warmer than June. The first half of the month is the most comfortable.
Does it rain a lot at Lake Garda in September?
By volume, yes: about 85 mm, among the highest of the year. But it falls on only around six days, so most days are dry and sunny, with about seven hours of sunshine on average.
Are the ferries still on the summer timetable in September?
Yes. In 2026 the summer timetable ran until 4 October. Check the current one on our ferry timetables page.
When is the grape harvest at Lake Garda?
It gets going in September and Bardolino celebrates it with the Festa dell'Uva e del Vino at the turn of the month. See October for that festival.